Government lifts Philippines sanctions

SORRY:Amadeo Perez said he had been authorized by the Philippine president to ‘personally convey the president’s and the Filipino people’s deep regret and apology’

By Shih Hsiu-chuan / Staff reporter

Manila Economic and Cultural Office Chairman Amadeo Perez, right, meets with the family of Hung Shih-cheng in Pingtung County yesterday to apologize for Hung’s death.

Photo: CNA

The government has lifted the 11 sanctions leveled against the Philippines following a deadly dispute involving the death of a Taiwanese fisherman, Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lin (林永樂) announced at a press conference in Taipei yesterday.

Three months after the death of Hung Shih-cheng (洪石成) at the hands of Philippine Coast Guard personnel, his family yesterday had their demands met when Manila’s emissary apologized at a press conference in Pingtung County’s Siaoliouciou (小琉球).

Manila Economic and Cultural Office Chairman Amadeo Perez read a statement to the family that he had been authorized by Philippine President Benigno Aquino III to “personally convey the president’s and the Filipino people’s deep regret and apology” to the family for the “unfortunate loss of life of their loved one.”

Perez said he also came to inform the family that the Philippine Department of Justice “is committed to prosecuting” the eight coast guard personnel who stand accused of the killing “at the soonest possible time” based on the results of an investigation released on Wednesday.

The Philippines has drawn “valuable lessons” from the tragedy and has borne in mind the desire Taipei has expressed to Manila that use of force should be avoided in the enforcement of fisheries laws to prevent similar incidents in the future, Perez said.

After reading the statement, followed by sentence-for-sentence translation from English into Hoklo (also known as Taiwanese), Perez presented a “letter of condolence” to the Hung family.

He did not take any questions from reporters.

After Perez left, Hung Tzu-chien (洪慈綪), the 65-year-old captain’s eldest daughter, told the press that her family had accepted the apology, which was “belated justice” for them, although they were “not 100 percent satisfied” with the outcome.

Hung Shih-cheng died in a fatal shooting on May 9 when a Philippine government vessel operated by Philippine Coast Guard personnel attacked his fishing boat, the Kuang Ta Hsing No. 28, in waters where the exclusive economic zones of the two nations overlap.

“What we have hoped for since my father died was an open and formal apology from the Philippine government,” Hung Tzu-chien said.

When asked to elaborate on dissatisfaction, Hung Tzu-chien said she felt it was a pity that reporters were denied a chance to raise issues regarding the long-term harassment that Taiwanese fishing boats have suffered at the hands of the Philippine Coast Guard over the decades.

“We hope that my father is the last person to die under these circumstance and that the government begins to negotiate fishing rights with the Philippines. Only when the negotiations generate a favorable outcome will my father be able to rest in peace,” she said.

Perez traveled to Taipei on May 15 to negotiate with the government, but he was denied a meeting with Lin because the Philippines had failed to meet a deadline to give satisfactory responses to four demands made by the government. He was also denied a visit to the victim’s family.

In addition to the formal apology, Taipei had demanded compensation for Hung’s family; an investigation into the incident to uncover the truth and punish the perpetrators; and talks on the signing of a fishery agreement to help prevent similar incidents in the future.

Taiwan imposed the 11 sanctions on May 15, including freezing the hiring of Philippine workers, until Manila met the four demands.